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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26191216">Misunderstood Messages</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishfootidentity/pseuds/Fishfootidentity'>Fishfootidentity</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>For Those Who Struggle [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Dorohedoro</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Canon Tie-in, Canon-Typical Violence, Confessions, Dorohedoro manga spoilers, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Love Triangles, M/M, Manga Spoilers, Mutual Admiration, Out of Character, Secret Crush</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:08:52</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>15,168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26191216</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fishfootidentity/pseuds/Fishfootidentity</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Continuation to The Value of Peace. Supposedly more light-hearted.</p><p>Is it really a love triangle when one of them is more of a spectator? Confusion and suspected jealousies ensue. Comedy is subjective.</p><p>The sorcerer world discovers unlikely heroes. Frustration eventually leads up to a verbal declaration of partnership.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aikawa &amp; Risu (Dorohedoro), Aikawa (Dorohedoro) &amp; Risu (Dorohedoro), Aikawa (Dorohedoro)/Risu (Dorohedoro), Aikawa/Risu (Dorohedoro)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>For Those Who Struggle [2]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1892110</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>19</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Grass Jelly</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p>
<p>South Zagan Sorcery School almost never sees female students on campus. For this reason, the restroom signage is changed to Students and Teachers instead of Men and Women. Then again, even students who simply wish to use a more-frequently-cleaned bathroom get kicked out of the Teachers’ restroom.</p>
<p>There are few enough female teachers who were able to do their jobs and keep their sanity. There are almost as few female-presenting students who kept on attending for at least one full term. Even effeminate male students get picked on for daring to appear weak.</p>
<p>It is tough being womanly in South Zagan. That is why it is subsequently tough for Aikawa to rationalise why Fukurou dressed the way they did today.</p>
<p>The owl-masked student is usually seen wearing loose yet practical ancient-fashion sorcerer robes. Today they are wearing a band T-shirt and dark jeans, and if Aikawa is not mistaken, they have replaced their binder with a bra. However, even though Fukurou’s feminine figure is now more distinct, they still retain their sharp metal-plated knee- and elbow-pads, as well as their gender-neutral pronouns and bearing.</p>
<p>The morning class that day was supposed to be Practical Magics. Since there is still no replacement teacher for Ishii-sensei (no one had any idea what happened to him – at least, that is the public story), the students are cheated out of their school fees by undergoing yet another self-study session.</p>
<p>Risu is not immensely troubled by the lack of a teacher. Ishii-sensei has left him with a bad impression, and the feminine substitute teachers have had to put up with frequent disruption from the perverts that sit near the back of the class. For now, self-study is the way to go. If he has any questions about the sorcerer body’s smoke-production process, he can bring the bio-smoke textbook with him and ask Fukurou to clarify on things that perplex him.</p>
<p>While Risu’s attention is on technical words and diagrams, Aikawa is mostly thinking about what food to have later.</p>
<p>In the middle of doing arm stretches said to ease smoke flow, Fukurou is alerted to a set of unfortunately familiar footsteps approaching their desk.</p>
<p>“Fukurou-chan! Can I sit here and do smoke practice with you?” Mizuno asked.</p>
<p>The owl-masked student’s small fist clenches on a mechanical pencil.</p>
<p>“Do <em>not</em> call me ‘-chan’,” they threatened. “If you can correct yourself, then I can help you with smoke practice – that is, if that’s what you’re even here for.”</p>
<p>“Mizuno,” Aikawa said from behind that male classmate before he could even continue speaking, “I’ve shielded you from Ishii-sensei before, but I don’t think I can protect you from this owl.”</p>
<p>“Aikawa! Wha-what do you mean?” Mizuno asked, taking half a step away from the student in black.</p>
<p>Aikawa bends down and whispers in Mizuno’s ear, although loud enough for Fukurou to catch as well.</p>
<p>“Trust me: even <em>I</em> think those talons can cut me before I can draw my knives.”</p>
<p>Something tells Fukurou that Mizuno is more creeped out by Aikawa’s sudden presence than his words, but the combination worked. Mizuno stammered “I’m sorry!” before leaving the front row.</p>
<p>Fukurou exhaled slowly and put down their writing instrument. “You don’t have to exaggerate my fighting skills like that.”</p>
<p>Aikawa pulls up a nearby empty chair and sits opposite the owl.</p>
<p>“What’s the occasion? I’ve never seen you wear clothes like this before,” he asked.</p>
<p>Risu looked up from a chapter on the exact forearm stretches Fukurou was doing earlier.</p>
<p><em>Huh? Aikawa goes to Fukurou and </em>doesn’t<em> ask for food? Mizuno walking away in fear?</em></p>
<p>“Stupid Aikawa wants her for himself…” he heard the words muttered when Mizuno passed by.</p>
<p>
  <em>What’s going on?</em>
</p>
<p>“My smoke output is starting to improve a lot. I’ve filed an application for graduation from this dump. When the admin office approves the medical lab results, I am outta here,” Fukurou explained.</p>
<p>“That’s great!” Aikawa responded.</p>
<p>“Yeah.” Fukurou drinks shortly from a can they opened a while ago. “I won’t miss this school, but I’ll definitely miss you and Risu. You guys are the best people I’ve met in this sordid place.”</p>
<p>Aikawa nods and lets out a thoughtful hum. Fukurou cannot tell what he is thinking with his eyes lowered to the desk… not until those eyes wander to the can of half-finished grass jelly drink.</p>
<p>“Yeah, you can have it, but are you okay with this? I don’t have a straw,” Fukurou said.</p>
<p>“No, that’s fine.”</p>
<p>Aikawa takes off his mask and drinks right from the can.</p>
<p>From the middle row of that classroom, Risu stares. Aikawa is drinking from a container that has touched Fukurou’s lips, and he is exclaiming “Sweet!”</p>
<p>
  <em>…???</em>
</p>
<p>Fukurou takes out a scrap of paper and writes on it. “Also, in case you miss those pastries I bring, this is the address of the Grapegum Bakery chain I always get them from.”</p>
<p>“Cool! Thank you, Fukurou-kun!”</p>
<p>
  <em>????? Ehhhhh?????</em>
</p>
<p>In the event of distractions and a close friend’s voluntary leave from class, Risu is starting to think scheduled self-study periods for Practical Magics need to cease soon.</p>
<hr/>
<p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIRST CHAPTER:</p>
<ol>
<li>‘Dead weight’ Mizuno never had a chance.</li>
<li>People often ask “what’s the occasion” when one starts wearing something different.</li>
<li>Fukurou has high regard for Aikawa and Risu.</li>
</ol>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Stake Point</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p>
<p>This is far from the first time Aikawa has left class early, especially prior to lunch. When the noon bell rings on days like this, with Aikawa away doing who knows what, Risu would meet Fukurou’s searching gaze and nod. The two have almost always gone for lunch at the cafeteria together.</p>
<p>“No pastries today?” Risu asks; Fukurou is lining up with him at the serving counter.</p>
<p>“Nope – I decided I’ll patronise this school’s food provider just a bit more,” they answer.</p>
<p>Risu nods. As the two pay for their food, Risu sees he is not the only one who has Aikawa on his mind. The cafeteria cook, Sato, avoids prolonged conversation with Aikawa’s known associates. It seems that, to him, there is an ever-present possibility of the food thief striking when the responsible person’s attention is diverted.</p>
<p>While walking to an empty table, Risu examines Fukurou and their outfit of the day. Yes, he did notice them wearing different clothes than usual. Maybe the anomaly is more apparent to Aikawa because he has known the owl for longer.</p>
<p>Taking normal seats opposite each other, Risu wonders if Aikawa is interested in Fukurou’s figure, now more distinctively feminine…</p>
<p>“I’m graduating,” Fukurou stated.</p>
<p>“Huh?”</p>
<p>“You were staring at my clothes. Aikawa asked about them earlier.”</p>
<p>Risu nodded. “I had a feeling he did… Wait, you’re graduating?”</p>
<p>“Yup!” With the hem of their mask rolled up, Fukurou’s bright smile is clear to see.</p>
<p>“Wow! Congratulations, Fukurou-kun.”</p>
<p>“Thanks.”</p>
<p>The two do not speak while cutting up and eating cheap food-of-the-day.</p>
<p>“You know, you can just call me Fukurou. I’ve been calling you guys Risu and Aikawa; you make it sound like I’m worthy of respect or something,” Fukurou spoke at one point.</p>
<p>
  <em>They mention Aikawa again. This is my chance.</em>
</p>
<p>“What do you think of Aikawa?” he asked.</p>
<p>Fukurou finishes chewing and swallowing their current mouthful before responding.</p>
<p>“Aikawa, huh? He’s cool. Funny. Takes a <em>lot</em> of my food, but it’s money well spent. He’s a good dude.”</p>
<p>Risu smiled at that, unsure if his relief is visible to Fukurou.</p>
<p>
  <em>Ah, good, they don’t have feelings for him.</em>
</p>
<p>“I’ve seen you with Aikawa a lot. What do <em>you</em> think of him?” Fukurou asked, drawing their head closer to Risu across the table.</p>
<p><em>What’s with that suggestive tone?</em> Risu reflexively leaned back, away from his tiny classmate.</p>
<hr/>
<p>The low-price pastry store Fukurou usually visits is not far from South Zagan Sorcery School, but even before noon, Aikawa got to experience what the owl told him about the place frequently being crowded. By the time he returns to the school, it is already some time past the lunch bell ringing.</p>
<p>Aikawa held off eating most of the pastries he acquired; he selected several pieces for his friends, after all. When he reaches the school cafeteria, he can see Fukurou and Risu seated together.</p>
<p>Nothing extraordinary stood out to him from a distance. But the closer he gets, the more it looks like his two classmates are in the middle of something, and it would be rude of him to interrupt.</p>
<p>
  <em>What’s this? Fukurou-kun is smiling at Risu, and he is blushing…</em>
</p>
<p>The taller student drops his cutlery and covers his face with both hands. “Stop staring at me like that!”</p>
<p>Fukurou lets out an almost-boyish laugh, still leaning toward Risu with a conspiratorial smirk.</p>
<p>Before Aikawa could take another step toward his friends, the glint of a butcher’s knife catches his eye.</p>
<p>
  <em>What the fuck? I haven’t even stepped foot in your dirty kitchens!</em>
</p>
<p>Unlike Fukurou, who is set to leave in the short run, it seems Aikawa is not going to be free of Chef Sato’s suspicion anytime soon.</p>
<hr/>
<p>Fukurou broke eye contact and straightened their posture once more.</p>
<p>“Alright, fine. You don’t have to say anything if you don’t want to,” they said.</p>
<p>Fukurou is trying not to laugh at the commotion occurring elsewhere in the cafeteria, but it looks like Risu doesn’t even register the background shenanigans.</p>
<p>The two less troublesome students resume eating their lunch in relative silence. It was after Risu has finished his food that he speaks next.</p>
<p>“Aikawa is an awesomely tough guy. I think he is kind. Sometimes he tries to sound like he doesn’t matter, or pretends that many things don’t bother him. But he cares, deep down.”</p>
<p>Risu pushes his emptied plate aside and puts his hands together on the worn table surface.</p>
<p>“I would love to have him as my partner, but he doesn’t seem ready for some reason. That’s too bad… I feel like my life changed when I became friends with him.”</p>
<p>Fukurou listened intently as they finish their own lunch – not that they would have interrupted Risu anyway. They nod with a gentle smile as Risu is done confiding his sincere words about Aikawa.</p>
<p>After a few seconds of silence, Risu draws a metal stake from his forearm and holds it lengthways against Fukurou’s throat. The dark eyes behind their spectacles are wide now, making them look like a regular owl.</p>
<p>“Don’t you <em>dare</em> tell him I said all that, okay?” Risu snarled.</p>
<p>“I won’t…”</p>
<p>Sweating as if he himself was the one threatened, Risu withdraws his stake and places it back in the forearm loop.</p>
<p>Fukurou inhales and lets out a low hoot.</p>
<hr/>
<p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE SECOND CHAPTER:</p>
<ol>
<li>Chef Sato is hyper-aware of that nemesis Aikawa.</li>
<li>Risu has serious thoughts about becoming Partnered with Aikawa.</li>
<li>Fukurou hoots.</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Straight-baiting may or may not be the play here.<br/>If my writing is <i>this</i> bad, can you believe me when I say it gets better from here?</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Increasing Question Marks</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p>
<p>Making his way to the school rooftop is not enough to shake Chef Sato off his trail. With a paper bag of pastries in one arm, he lifts the lid of his second most frequently used ventilation path and dives in with care. It pays to not be too predictable.</p>
<p>Aikawa replaces the lid above him and eases his way down the vertical chamber. He pauses at a horizontal intersection to reposition his burden, and continues downward until he must be above the ground floor hallways.</p>
<p>The sight of the school’s back entrance gave rise to a headache; a memory of helping Risu haul a body through there and into a Cross-Eyes truck.</p>
<p>He turned back and looked for a different part of the school that sees minimal footfall. One floor up, there is a storage corridor filled with forgotten decorations and components of failed vanity projects.</p>
<p>Aikawa exited the ventilation chamber and sat between a dusty stack of pamphlets and a plaster column, eating in solitude. The sight of Risu blushing and covering his face, of Fukurou in a teasing mood… all of that still puzzled Aikawa. Maybe he should ask the two about it later in class.</p>
<p>
  <em>Or should I not?</em>
</p>
<p>The lunch-end bell rang when Aikawa has eaten only half of his pastry lunch. It’s just as well; he can eat the other half in class to stay awake.</p>
<p>“Oh, he’s back!”</p>
<p>“Aikawa! Where have you been?” Risu asked.</p>
<p>Aikawa let out an exasperated breath. “I got chased out of the cafeteria by Chef Sato himself. Can you believe that?” he remarked.</p>
<p>“That cook sure has a vendetta against you.”</p>
<p>The Particle Physics teacher tapped his 50cm wooden ruler on the desk surface twice.</p>
<p>“Everyone settle down and get into groups. I’ll be handing out question sets for you to complete together. Please remember that the marks from your course work go directly into your final grades.”</p>
<p>Aikawa could not care less about his own grades (he doesn’t even look forward to his own graduation). Even so, he sits with Risu and Fukurou for the simple reason that they are all closer to each other than to the rest of the class.</p>
<p>Small Miura managed to join that group before anyone else does.</p>
<p>“Oh, Fukurou-kun, before I forget: I actually went to the bakery earlier. I thought I’d repay the favour before you’re gone,” Aikawa said, handing a neatly-wrapped garlic mushroom pie to the owl-masked student.</p>
<p>“You didn’t have to, but I appreciate it,” they replied.</p>
<p>While Fukurou stores away the pie for later, Aikawa did not miss the possibly-sad expression on Risu’s face. He doesn’t want to be left out, naturally, and Aikawa has no intention of doing that to him.</p>
<p>“Here, Risu, I got you something too.” Aikawa passes him a paper bag filled with two chocolate pastry rolls the size of Fukurou’s fists. “That seems like the finest food you’ll ever get as a Cross-Eyes member.”</p>
<p>Risu accepts the paper bag with a wry smile and places it next to his bundle of school books. “Oh, shut up. At least the rest of us don’t leave a crumbly mess at our study desks.”</p>
<p>
  <em>He gestured at Fukurou when he said “our”… is something more going on here? Or am I reading too much into this? Ugh…</em>
</p>
<p>The buzzing sensation is different from the headaches that usually worry Aikawa, but the feeling wouldn’t leave him alone and it is irritating him.</p>
<p>“Can we please do this course work so that the teacher will let us out of class today?” Miura asked.</p>
<p>The Particle Physics classroom is filled with sparse discussion of the syllabus and more chats about what the students plan to do after school that day. The desk near the front is quieter, especially after Aikawa has run out of food.</p>
<p>Miura is trying his best to fill the worksheet with everything he knows. Fukurou, calculator in one hand, occasionally pencils in different (presumably more accurate) answers next to Miura’s hurried scrawls.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry you’ve had to correct my part of the work before we pass it up, Fukurou-san.”</p>
<p>“That’s alright. At least you and Risu are putting some effort into this group work.”</p>
<p>Risu understands most of the theory well enough, but the numerical problems hit him like a concrete block. “How is this formula supposed to work in the material world…?”</p>
<p>The nerdy conversations become background noise to Aikawa, who rests his head on his forearms and sleeps away this boring class. Through the ear-holes of his mask, he can vaguely hear an explanation about density, something that requires Fukurou to demonstrate with a pencil and one of Risu’s metal stakes.</p>
<p>“I think I understand how it works… but the formula is still difficult to memorise,” Risu complained.</p>
<p>“You only need to memorise when you’re preparing for exams,” Miura pointed out.</p>
<p>“That’s exactly what I’m not looking forward to,” Risu continued, leaning back on his chair.</p>
<p>Aikawa felt someone nudge his shoulder.</p>
<p>“Write something. This is a group effort,” Fukurou told him.</p>
<p>Aikawa mumbled into his forearms. Opposite him, Miura has the task of erasing the pencil marks and writing proper answers in ink.</p>
<p>“I gave the answers, Miura-kun is writing the words, and Risu is putting in the numbers. If you want the marks, you need to do something.”</p>
<p>Aikawa raised his head and arms to stretch, yawning widely behind his mask. He borrowed a pen to fill in a few words and neaten some of the numbered solutions.</p>
<p>“Is that enough?”</p>
<p>Risu has a hand over his mouth. Miura seems uncertain, whereas the academic exasperation is palpable in Fukurou’s eyes.</p>
<p>“Fine! This will be one of the last times you can freeride off of my work,” the serious owl stated.</p>
<p>Risu let out the laughter he tried to hold back. “Don’t worry, Fukurou. I’m sure the teacher would prefer to see your correct answers anyway.”</p>
<p>The sound of Risu laughing woke Aikawa fully. It was an oddly rare sound to come from Risu, and Aikawa has spent so much time with him without ever hearing that sound.</p>
<p>
  <em>So something did???</em>
</p><hr/>
<p>Completing the Particle Physics question set left the four students with nothing to do, so they begin getting ready to leave.</p>
<p>“Oi, Risu, you doing anything after school?” Aikawa asked. His bag had been packed since the start of the afternoon class.</p>
<p>Risu collected his simple stationery and slid the pencil case underneath the strap that keeps his books together.</p>
<p>“No, not immediately. The next job is at 11PM, so I can go home and eat the bread you bought for me.” For emphasis, Risu briefly lifts the paper bag Aikawa handed him.</p>
<p>“Hah. Good.” Aikawa left his seat. “I’ll see you later.”</p>
<p>“See ya,” Risu greeted.</p>
<p>On his way to the door, he saw Aikawa standing opposite Fukurou, waiting for them to pack their myriad books and stationeries.</p>
<p>“Can I walk you home?” Aikawa asked.</p>
<p>Risu hurries out the door but leans against the wall. His ears perk up, straining to catch the words spoken.</p>
<p>“Are you worried I’ll get harassed on the way? I can take care of myself,” the owl’s tired voice said.</p>
<p>“Humour me. For my peace of mind, if anything.” Aikawa’s tone was gentle.</p>
<p>“Alright, then.”</p>
<p>Risu willed his legs to carry him away before he can see Aikawa and Fukurou walk side by side. It would be impolite of him to eavesdrop, especially after he has trusted Fukurou to keep his feelings unspoken to Aikawa.</p>
<p>Taking the most public route in order to avoid trouble on the way, Risu walks home thinking of the two main friends he met at school.</p>
<p>Aikawa has been living a more peaceful life before meeting Risu. Fukurou is good at maintaining distances, so to speak. There is nothing for anyone to gain from changing things even further, so there would be no reason for Fukurou to spill the beans. As far as civilians go, they are trustworthy in Risu’s eyes.</p><hr/>
<p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE THIRD CHAPTER:</p><ol>
<li>Aikawa’s bad mouth is devilish (as mentioned in Omake 101.5).</li>
<li>Aikawa hardly ever contributes to group work at school.</li>
<li>For all the time the two spend together, Aikawa feels that Risu laughing is rare.</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>(Psst. Hey, Aikawa? Risu was laughing specifically because you're bad at group projects.)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Bump</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p>
<p>The afternoon sun is gradually sinking. Aikawa walks a familiar path beside Fukurou. Way back in the early days, he asked Fukurou if he could carry their backpack for them. They insisted on carrying the heavy load themselves.</p>
<p>Walking with Fukurou has a different air to it compared to when he walked with Risu. It is not that the streets are too different, but it was the person next to him. While Risu’s tattooed face just screams ‘low-class sorcerer trash’, Fukurou looks like a perfectly harmless citizen.</p>
<p>And Aikawa? How does he come off to the ordinary sorcerers of this world? The thing inside him will not let him find the answer. If the answer does not lie within, he will reach beyond.</p>
<p>But first, there is something else he wants an explanation for.</p>
<p>“You and Risu seem to be close,” he said to Fukurou at one point.</p>
<p>There is a pause before Fukurou asks: “Close, how?”</p>
<p>“You two always share notes, always eat lunch together…”</p>
<p>Fukurou continues talking while they and Aikawa wait for the crosswalk sign to turn green.</p>
<p>“Number one: it’s not sharing, but rather helping Risu catch up. Number two: he catches up on notes because he takes his magic seriously. Number three: we would’ve been eating with you too if you weren’t busy running from Chef Sato.”</p>
<p>Aikawa laughed. “Yeah, he was just looking for a reason to chase me out of the cafeteria today.”</p>
<p>“Uh-huh,” Fukurou commented. Their building of residence is within sight now.</p>
<p>“Anyway… Fukurou-kun, do you like-like Risu?” Aikawa asked.</p>
<p>Fukurou’s pace did not falter, but Aikawa could see them clench their jaw for a short moment. They inhaled and let out a breath before answering.</p>
<p>“What does it matter? No one I like-like has ever liked me back in that way – no man or woman, no sorcerer or demon.”</p>
<p>“Huh…”</p>
<p><em>They didn’t actually answer, but oh well, </em>Aikawa thought.</p>
<p><em>Risu respects Fukurou, that’s already clear. The way he blushed when they looked at him, the way they can make Risu laugh… If he likes Fukurou, then maybe he’ll leave the Cross-Eyes for them. Or maybe he’ll convince </em>Fukurou<em> to join the Cross-Eyes. What will happen then, and whose fault would that be?</em></p>
<p>Aikawa screwed his eyes shut. <em>My head hurts, I might be overthinking –</em></p>
<p>“Aikawa, do <em>you</em> like-like Risu?” Fukurou asked.</p>
<p>Aikawa’s eyes widen behind his mask.</p>
<p>“Eeeeeeehhh?!”</p>
<p>On the outside, Aikawa has stopped walking and frozen where he was on the pavement. His headache is turning into something more disturbing. The creature inside him is laughing at him while a subdued, more innocent voice (who was that, by the way?) tells him to distract the person who asked him that question.</p>
<p>Fukurou’s voice claws into his consciousness from what feels like far away.</p>
<p>“Aikawa? Are you okay?”</p>
<p>It took a lot just to regain control of his body and keep moving.</p>
<p>“How could I be okay when you say messed-up shit like that?”</p>
<p>Fukurou easily kept up with his steps. They gently touched Aikawa’s arm.</p>
<p>“I’m really sorry. I didn’t think that would offend you so deeply.”</p>
<p>Aikawa slows down his pace, regaining composure. “That’s not it.” He reciprocated the gesture, just wary about making it look like he and his not-male classmate are holding hands.</p>
<p>“Can we… talk somewhere private?” he asked.</p>
<p>“My apartment room is soundproof. I’d say that is private enough.”</p>
<p>Fukurou sounded so nonchalant about it that Aikawa could not help blushing beneath his mask. His eyes look ahead of him, his index fingers placed together in trepidation.</p>
<p>“Playing music is my hobby. Get your mind out of the gutter,” Fukurou scoffed. They knock one side of their behind against Aikawa’s in teasing.</p>
<p>Aikawa’s counterattack is a powerful butt-bump that knocks Fukurou off their feet, sending them crashing toward the edge of the sidewalk.</p>
<p>“Oh, shit! I’m sorry, Fukurou-kun!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>It was a good thing they had been close to Fukurou’s mid-market apartment complex. In the room, Aikawa checks Fukurou for any serious wounds. There were no nicked blood vessels, just a few minor scrapes on the outer side of their left forearm. Aikawa would say their elbow- and knee-pads helped prevent more serious injuries.</p>
<p>Most importantly (to the owl), the pie he bought for them did not get smashed in the process, and now it is stored in the fridge for later consumption.</p>
<p>Aikawa insisted on cleaning and disinfecting the wound before Fukurou does anything else. With their mask off, the expression on their smooth face is confused and awkward, yet on some level thankful.</p>
<p>
  <em>That was how Risu reacted, too, when I first went to treat his injuries…</em>
</p>
<p>“It doesn’t need to be wrapped, does it?” Fukurou asked.</p>
<p>“The scrape is not deep, so you can just leave it to dry.”</p>
<p>“Alright. Thanks for the handy first-aid.”</p>
<p>Now that the panic has moved on, Aikawa sits at the dining table as invited and studies the one-bedroom apartment. The walls are soundproofed, just as Fukurou said. A visible study table is a mess, and there are adjustable dumbbells and an exercise mat nearby. However, the instrument area is clean. Aikawa can see two large and three mid-sized black cases. He wonders what those instruments are.</p>
<p>Fukurou has taken off their protective pads, and placed their mask on a wall hook. His own mask and helmet removed, Aikawa can see Fukurou has short dark brown hair streaked unevenly with grey.</p>
<p>“You would think a scholar like me would know not to bump butts with a guy more than twice my weight. Nawh. I’m a bird-brain,” they exclaimed from their compact kitchen.</p>
<p>While the water in the kettle boils, Aikawa continues observing the apartment. The surfaces are not as grimy as at his or Risu’s residences, and clothes are either piled in baskets or stored out of sight. This is definitely not the home of a typical South Zagan Sorcery School student.</p>
<p>In terms of peace, Aikawa envies Fukurou. This seems like a lovely place to live in.</p>
<p>Fukurou pours tea from a small pot into which they have added honey and lemon. They pass one steaming mug across the table to Aikawa.</p>
<p>“Take your time putting your feelings about Risu into word-form. When you’re ready, I’ll be here to listen,” they said in their calm voice.</p>
<p><em>What am I doing here?</em> he asked himself. <em>I don’t know if this is the right thing to do, but the feeling has been hanging over me for a while, and it's distracting as hell. I’m just afraid that if I voice it, it becomes real, and that it becomes something that can be destroyed…</em></p>
<p>He shook his head and slowed down his breaths. He needs to focus.</p>
<p>
  <em>Obviously I can’t tell Fukurou everything.</em>
</p>
<p>“How I feel about Risu, huh…” Aikawa trails off, sipping at hot lemon tea.</p>
<p>
  <em>His cute face is like radiant sunshine over my locked-up garden.</em>
</p>
<p>“Risu is courageous and strong, but his courage keeps getting him into danger, and he overestimates his strength a lot. But at other times, he’s humble to a fault.”</p>
<p>Fukurou nods, bespectacled eyes watching him while they carefully listen.</p>
<p>Aikawa’s gaze goes beyond the spot on the wall over Fukurou’s left shoulder. “He has a good heart, and has faith in changing things for the better. And when he believes deeply in something, he cannot be shaken.”</p>
<p>In a whisper, he adds: “I want to protect him.”</p>
<p>Fukurou smiled softly at that, but ceased almost immediately. They are sensitive, aware that Aikawa is at a vulnerable point.</p>
<p>“Did you know – he asked me to be his Partner.”</p>
<p>Fukurou blinked over their mug. “I see. What did you say to that?”</p>
<p>After taking another mouthful of tea, Aikawa places his elbows on the table. One hand goes to support his forehead.</p>
<p>“There’s… I have issues I can’t talk about, with you or with him. As much as I care about Risu, I don’t wanna burden him with my personal shit, y’know? Partnership goes both ways.”</p>
<p>Fukurou’s face remained neutral, but they gave Aikawa a solemn nod.</p>
<p>“What about you, Fukurou-kun? I’ve never seen you with a Partner,” he said, straightening his posture.</p>
<p>Fukurou tilts their head. “Yeah, well – Zagan is not the place for <em>me</em> to find a partner. I’ll find a job in the northwest, hopefully meet new sorcerers there,” they answer with a nod.</p>
<p>“Ahh, best of luck.”</p>
<p>Aikawa drains his mug, thanks Fukurou for the tea, and puts on his helmet and mask to head out.</p>
<p>Fukurou tells him and Risu to take care later tonight.</p>
<hr/>
<p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FOURTH CHAPTER:</p>
<ol>
<li>One does not simply challenge Aikawa at butt-bumping.</li>
<li>Fukurou’s room is soundproofed for music. <strike>At least, that is the story.</strike>
</li>
<li>Aikawa cares deeply about Risu.</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>While typing out this chapter, I had thoughts about an AU where Ai Coleman and pre-Cross-Eyes Risu meet. My muse still has not stopped screaming about it by the time this chapter is ready for upload.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. The Job At 11PM</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Spoilers for the RPG Maker horror game Misao (in the end notes), I guess?</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p><p>In his room in the lower-cost complex of Tachikawa Apartments, Risu tries not to think about Aikawa and Fukurou walking to the latter’s place together. The way Fukurou made it sound, Aikawa has accompanied them to their home before.</p><p><em>That doesn’t necessarily mean he has been in their room</em>, Risu reassured himself.</p><p>As with other ordinary days, there is nothing much to do after school. He will do homework when he has the attention for it. For now, the job is on the forefront of his mind.</p><p>After so many nights of being turned away from food stalls and restaurants far from home, Risu found value in preparing home-cooked food that he can eat later. There is a nearby grocery store that serves people like him, after all.</p><p>In the early evening, he eats a portion of what he cooked and saves the rest for later. He briefly writes down a grocery list of what to get on his next run.</p><p>
  <em>When would that be? If I go on the weekends, there might be more people staring at me and kicking up a fuss, even if this is a town for low-calibre sorcerers.</em>
</p><p>He sighed.</p><p>
  <em>I wonder at what time of the week Aikawa goes to buy groceries, if he does at all.</em>
</p><p>Risu bites into one of the chocolate pastries from the paper bag Aikawa gave him. The chocolate filling is better than the candy bars he can get from the school vending machines. Even nicer still, there are whole hazelnuts in the pastry.</p><p>Aikawa was right about this being one of the finer foods Risu will ever taste.</p><p><em>This is the kind of stuff Aikawa likes</em>, Risu thinks as he chomps away at the first pastry. <em>Before I came into Aikawa’s life, he has always been contented with school, but then he looked out for me… There are many things he didn’t have to do, but he did. He even told me, a Cross-Eyes scoundrel who cannot produce smoke, that my life has value.</em></p><p>Risu places the second pastry roll in his fridge, next to his pre-made meal.</p><p><em>He cares so much about me – but what of his own happiness? Maybe he would be happier living a simple life surrounded by good stuff. Fukurou can give him that, and I can’t… What if </em>that<em> is why he won’t Partner with me?</em></p><p>Risu let himself fall face-first into his bed and covered the back of his head with a pillow. He needs to silence his thoughts before they become too depressing. He didn’t want to have to keep relying on Fukurou to make sense of his feelings, not when they are about to leave his daily life.</p><p>
  <em>They can actually graduate…</em>
</p><p>He ended up not doing his homework. It’s impossible for him to muster the attention to write an argumentative essay for Magic Theory when he feels this way.</p><p>Risu got up and brushed the hair out of his face when he heard knocks on his apartment door. A glance at his wall clock tells him the time is a little past 10PM, and a look through the door’s glass peephole lets him know Aikawa is beyond the threshold, waiting to see him.</p><p>Fukurou won’t always be around, but Aikawa will.</p><p>“Yo,” Aikawa greeted when Risu opened the door.</p><p>“Aikawa? You’re early,” Risu remarked, letting Aikawa in and closing the door behind him.</p><p>“Were you napping?” It’s just like Aikawa to deflect the remark with one of his own.</p><p>“I was <em>not</em>,” Risu protested. He went to his closet to pick an outfit to change into for the job that night. “Did you get any homework done?”</p><p>“That’s such a pointless question. You know I never do my homework.”</p><p>Risu barked out a laugh as he buttons up his jumpsuit. “And here I was hoping you have a clue about what to write in the Magic Theory essay.”</p><p>When he turned to look at Aikawa next, he could swear Aikawa’s eyes behind the goggles are crinkled, not just in amusement, but relief.</p><p>Once each loop on his jumpsuit is stocked with metal stakes, Risu follows Aikawa out of the apartment and locks the room door.</p><hr/><p>Tanabe, Risu’s Cross-Eyes lieutenant, has assigned Risu to take over another member’s shift on a stakeout job.</p><p>“The target is male, lanky and greasy, often seen in suit and tie, with shoulder-length faded blond hair. He also wears a Cheshire grin mask over his mouth. Supposedly, women have been disappearing whenever they follow this man out of a basement bar. Orders from above are to see what magic that sorcerer has to be able to make people disappear.”</p><p>Aikawa did not join Risu and the Cross-Eyes’ meeting in the alley, but Tanabe could see the figure in black skulking by the alley entrance.</p><p>“If it’s dangerous magic, call for our help,” the lieutenant added, knowing Risu and his outsider friend are nigh inseparable, and the two are likely to take independent action if anything happens before their shift ends.</p><p>The two relieve a Cross-Eyes errand boy who reported that the target has not been seen leaving the seedy basement bar.</p><p>“Good job. We’ll take it from here,” Risu told him.</p><p>Risu took the driver’s seat of the rented car used by the Cross-Eyes for the stakeout. Aikawa settled for the passenger seat; he does not have full view of the bar’s front door, but this way he can look in Risu’s direction and be completely justified in doing so.</p><p>There is not much else two men can do at a stakeout other than watching the important place or looking elsewhere. If they want, they can talk.</p><p>Aikawa finds a good reason to talk, ten minutes into Risu’s shift.</p><p>“You’ve been antsy about this job since your comrades briefed you about it. What’s up?” Aikawa asked.</p><p>“I’m not antsy,” Risu replied.</p><p>“You’ve been shifting your sitting position 10 times in the past 4 minutes, and you’ve reached for your stakes at least twice. Something about this job has you on edge.”</p><p>Risu sighed. “Yeah, fine.”</p><p>He rolls his shoulders and tries to settle back against the too-short driver’s seat.</p><p>“I’m not ignorant to the stuff people say about me – well, about the Cross-Eyes in general. People think the gang is made up of opportunistic frauds, even butchers. But this suit-wearing sorcerer makes women disappear and gets away with it, and no one talks about this at all.”</p><p>A group of men walk out of the basement bar, audibly laughing about something.</p><p>“I want to just take this bastard’s head and deliver it to the lieutenant already,” Risu exclaimed.</p><p>Aikawa can sense the anger rising in Risu. He wonders if his friend was thinking about Fukurou at some point in his rant. Not whether Fukurou agrees with the “stuff” Risu mentioned, of course, but rather the dangers civilians face even without Cross-Eyes involvement.</p><p>“Well – make sure you stay focused. Could be dangerous to have worries cloud your head on the job.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><p>A lanky man wearing a suit is leaving the basement bar with an obese-looking woman on his arm. Illumination from street lights reveal that the man has shoulder-length hair the colour of milk tea splashed against their school’s more moss-covered walls.</p><p>“He’s on the move. Let’s go,” Risu urged. He opened the car door and slammed it shut behind him immediately after getting out.</p><p>Aikawa clicked his tongue; Risu did not even remember to take the rental car’s key out of the ignition. At least <em>he</em> will bring it along and then lock the car.</p><hr/><p>Risu and Aikawa follow the suit-wearing man and fat woman at a distance. Risu has been briefed on where the target lives: in a specific shady apartment building, one of many in an apathetic neighbourhood.</p><p>Across the road from the target’s residence is a pair of complexes separated by an alley, over which there are conjoined fire escape stairs. Aikawa helped Risu onto the lowest landing, and they climbed to a level where they can clearly see into the target’s balcony door.</p><p>A light goes on in a room in the target’s building. Two silhouettes emerge from a door; they can hear the door slam against its frame, but not whether it gets locked. The thin figure is gesturing for the wide figure to do something – to take off her clothes, perhaps.</p><p><em>As helpful as sensitive owl-ears and spectacled eyes would be in this situation, I think neither of us would ever want Fukurou to be a part of </em>this<em>.</em></p><p>Smoke obscures part of the view. Once it dissipates, there was an elated feminine voice. The wide figure’s silhouette notably resembles a typical beautiful woman’s figure now.</p><p>Other noises fill the night air as the two figures in the room stand still and silent. Soon the feminine figure picks up her clothes to put them back on. The sorcerer raises his voice, probably threatening the woman. It looks like she is trying to leave, but the sorcerer shouted in anger, and his smoke engulfs the woman.</p><p>Risu seems to want to rush downstairs and cross the road to get to that room. Before he could do that, Aikawa holds him by the shoulders.</p><p>“Look.”</p><p>The sorcerer’s figure bends down. He seems to pick up something in one hand to hold at a distance from his face. His other hand points a finger at the thing. From the tone of his voice, he is taunting.</p><p>“Was that… the woman he came in with?” Risu wondered.</p><p>“Has to be. This jerk uses shrinking magic,” Aikawa said.</p><p>“I see – you’re right.” Risu glanced at Aikawa; the urge to move is clear on his face. “He’ll be preoccupied. Let’s ambush this bastard.”</p><p>“Risu, wait,” Aikawa told him. “Before we do anything, let’s find out what happens to that woman or the sorcerer’s previous victims. Don’t wanna risk creating a mess after we’ve killed him.”</p><p>“How do we do that?” Risu almost growled in impatience, fighting to be free of his friend’s unbelievable grip.</p><p>Aikawa’s mask collided against Risu’s face.</p><p>“Here’s my plan…” he spoke directly into Risu’s ear.</p><hr/><p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE FIFTH CHAPTER:</p><ol>
<li>Risu can get really heated-up on the job.</li>
<li>The Cross-Eyes are known for some crimes, but are not behind many others.</li>
<li>Aikawa is a perceptive man who makes safe plans.</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The greasy sorcerer’s appearance is inspired by Sohta from the RPG Maker horror game Misao. This wasn’t necessarily intentional; I just needed some sort of “not a typical-looking bad guy” appearance to put in mind.<br/>I felt like my gears changed starkly for this chapter because the story moved from romantic comedy to crime/action.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Distress</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p><p>“… We split up. You knock on the sorcerer’s front door and pretend to be a pusher for black powder. While you distract him, I sneak in through the window and check his apartment room,” Aikawa finished, silently grateful that Risu has stopped struggling against him.</p><p>“That sounds doable, but how long should I keep him distracted for?” Risu asked.</p><p>“If this plan works, not longer than necessary. I’ll knock him out from behind once we know where the victims are.”</p><p>“Got it.”</p><p>Then Aikawa lets Risu go.</p><p>On one hand, Aikawa is worried because Risu has “no patience with people”, especially with genuine shitlords like Ishii-sensei. But on the other hand, Aikawa has also seen Risu when he got confronted by the South Zagan headmaster or a shopping centre security guard. The tall Cross-Eyes member can look and sound pathetic and helpless, deflecting anyone’s initial impression that he is capable of deviance.</p><p>
  <em>He can act weak when he needs to.</em>
</p><p>His friend is relying on him. He must also trust his friend’s abilities.</p><p>Aikawa waited a short while. When he is sure the lanky sorcerer is fully focused on trying to turn Risu away, he uses window ledges and balcony railings to climb up and into the target’s room.</p><p>“Listen, I don’t want anything with you Cross-Eyes scum,” the target spoke in an ‘I’m too busy for you’ tone.</p><p>“I’m very sorry – we Cross-Eyes do have that sort of reputation, huh? I’m just here on orders, because my superiors think you’d make a prospective buyer of black powder.”</p><p>“How tall are you, even? No wonder a freak like you would join the Cross-Eyes.”</p><p>“Yes, well…”</p><p>While Risu is all shy smiles and self-deprecating laughter, Aikawa takes silent steps toward the sorcerer’s bedroom. There is no smell of death, which is good news.</p><p>A curtained-off section of the bedroom draws Aikawa’s attention. Still tiptoeing, Aikawa approaches the curtain and flips aside a small fraction of the cloth.</p><p>The curtain conceals a chair and a desk, and atop the desk is a large terrarium. In the terrarium there are a total of seven women in questionably attractive proportions, including the woman the sorcerer had shrunk earlier. There was nothing for them to wear except doll’s clothes.</p><p>“Who is that?” The women are quick to notice Aikawa’s careful movements.</p><p>“Are you here to save us?!”</p><p>Aikawa held an index finger up to his lips – or at least where his lips would be, behind the mask. He lets go of the curtain cloth and turns around to exit the suit-wearing sorcerer’s bedroom.</p><p>“I told you already, I don’t need any black powder! I am a top-notch smoke producer, unlike <em>you</em>, so you can either fuck off or get –”</p><p>Aikawa uses the blunt end of a knife to knock the sorcerer out from behind. He lowers the sorcerer’s body to the floor and then opens the door wider to let Risu in.</p><p>“Took you long enough. I was tired of having to smile at this asshole,” Risu complained.</p><p>“He didn’t shoot smoke at you, did he?” Aikawa asked.</p><p>“No, I’m fine. Your plan worked.” Risu might not sound like he is praising Aikawa, but he seems much calmer now that the target has been subdued. While Aikawa carries the target’s body to a couch, Risu closes the apartment’s front door and balcony door.</p><p>“See? It’s always good to have a plan instead of charging in blind.”</p><p>Risu rolled his eyes, but then smirked at Aikawa. “The only pity is that this guy’s magic is only physical matter-related, so he cannot shrink your monstrous appetite.”</p><p>“Shut up!”</p><p>Banter now over, Aikawa leads Risu to the bedroom and throws aside the curtain that hid the terrarium on the desk.</p><p>“You ladies alright?” Aikawa asked.</p><p>“Please get us out of here.”</p><p>“We’ll do anything!”</p><p>One of the women in the terrarium took a step back upon seeing Risu. “A Cross-Eye!”</p><p>Risu’s expression fell, and he clenched his jaw. Maybe he was trying to think of how to communicate that he means the women no harm.</p><p>Aikawa jabbed a thumb against his friend in a pointing gesture.</p><p>“My buddy here wants to take your captor’s head. Is that okay with you?”</p><p>The women looked at each other, and then at the terrarium imprisoning them.</p><p>Risu opened the lid of the terrarium. “Here, we’ll help you get out first.”</p><p>Together, Aikawa and Risu carefully relocate the women to a corner of the bedroom. The two also prepared towels and other large sheets of cloth to cover the women’s modesty once the sorcerer dies and his magic is dispelled. There is also the most recent woman’s clothes, dropped on the living room floor after the sorcerer shrunk her.</p><p>Aikawa did not watch as Risu used a butcher’s knife to sever the target’s head. He kept his eyes out the window until Risu zips up a bag damp with fresh blood.</p><p>When they were ready, the seven women – returned to their original sizes, to not-sexy body shapes – have all covered themselves in cloth and emerged from the bedroom to meet their rescuers.</p><p>“We don’t know how you found us, but we’re grateful for what you’ve done.”</p><p>“What was that sorcerer doing to you?” Risu asked.</p><p>“We were amateur and mediocre sorceresses who want to look good but cannot afford diet bugs.”</p><p>“That man promised to shrink less-desirable parts of our bodies with his magic, in exchange for sexual favours.”</p><p>“We thought we could get away with refusing him, but then he shrank us and kept us as his prisoner dolls instead.”</p><p>“He let us keep our attractive figures, he fed us and took care of us – but all this is at the cost of our freedom.”</p><p>After hearing the women’s explanations, Risu glanced down at the bagged head. “Good riddance to scum like that.”</p><p>One woman in an almost-too-small towel walked up to Risu and squeezed his muscular upper arm. “Say, are all Cross-Eyes secretly as heroic as you two?” she asked.</p><p>“I’m not a Cross-Eye,” Aikawa immediately retorted, one hand pressed to his head.</p><p>“Uh…” Risu froze where he stood. If the lights were brighter, Aikawa might be able to see him blush. “I can’t speak for other Cross-Eyes members, I mean I’m not even…”</p><p>Aikawa slapped Risu’s upper back, startling the woman off of his excessively cute friend.</p><p>“Guy’s dead, and job’s done. We should leave.”</p><p>“Right.”</p><hr/><p>Risu and Aikawa combed the apartment room for money and other valuables. They managed to find the six earlier victims’ clothes and masks in the process; the cloth articles have all been laundered but not folded.</p><p>Risu wanted to call Tanabe to wrap up the job and get a driver to collect the body and head. The problem is: although the now-deceased sorcerer’s most recent prey has left the building, the six women who have been imprisoned for longer are still here. Lingering, not just because some of them have grown closer to each other, but because they are all dead-set on repaying the duo’s good deed, one way or another.</p><p>“You ladies have your stuff and your lives back now. Go on home,” Aikawa told them, standing by the balcony door as if ready to make his exit the same way he got in.</p><p>“We are in your debt. Surely there’s something we can do for you?”</p><p>Risu could not see Aikawa’s outward reaction to some of the women’s very likely lusty glances, aimed at either of them. He goes up to Aikawa, their backs turned to the women.</p><p>“We keep telling them it’s enough that they continue living safe and peaceful lives, but they’re not going away. What a stubborn bunch,” Aikawa muttered.</p><p>“What are we supposed to do?” Risu whispered to him.</p><p>“‘We’? <em>You</em> were the one who wanted the Cross-Eyes to have a better public image.”</p><p>“I never actually said that, and this was <em>your</em> plan!” Risu turned away and took some deep breaths to calm himself down. “What would Fukurou say to these women… I almost wish they were here.”</p><p>“That’s it!” Aikawa exclaimed.</p><p>One hand around Risu’s shoulders, Aikawa stands tall and gives a firm statement to the liberated women.</p><p>“My friend and I are dangerous men doing dangerous things, so we’d be putting your lives at risk again if you to keep meeting us. But we have a friend who is an expert at living safely. So, instead of looking for us, go find an owl that frequents Grapegum Bakery, a budget pastry store in Zagan. That owl is intelligent and sensible.”</p><p>“An owl?” one of the women repeated.</p><p>“Yes, an owl. Now go home and leave us – we have a body to clean up.”</p><p>Risu could not deny he is relieved Aikawa got the six women to leave them be, but the <em>way</em> Aikawa does it… something is nagging at him in response to that.</p><p>“Don’t you think we should’ve asked Fukurou before sending <em>six</em> women to them for counselling?” Risu asked when only the two of them remain in the apartment room.</p><p>Aikawa moved from the balcony door. It is likely the women were looking back at the apartment room with mixed feelings.</p><p>“Well, do you have a better way of making these women leave us alone without straight-up threatening them?” Aikawa clapped a reassuring hand on Risu’s shoulder. “Fukurou can handle civilians; they’re a smart owl. If they’re not up for mentoring sorceresses, they can do what <em>we</em> just did and turn the women away.”</p><p>“I hope you’re right…”</p><p>Risu used the phone in the apartment room to call in the necessary Cross-Eyes members to tie up the loose ends. He did not say it aloud, but he was glad Aikawa remembered to take the key of the rented car; the Cross-Eyes junior from earlier will be able to return it to the rental agency.</p><p>Tanabe is let down when Risu told him the target had a particular form of shrinking magic.</p><p>“He just has shrinkage powers? Didn’t think it would take you so long to dispatch him, then.”</p><p>It may just be Risu’s imagination, but it looked like Aikawa’s usual restraint when dealing with other Cross-Eyes wavered for a moment. Something about the lieutenant’s words made Aikawa radiate pure menace.</p><p>That moment made the portly Cross-Eyes lieutenant take a small step back.</p><p>“A runner will send your usual commission. We’ll call you when the next job comes.”</p><hr/><p>With the dead target’s money split between Aikawa and Risu, the former is already spending a small fraction of it on beef kebabs. They return to Risu’s place to have supper together.</p><p>While heating up his homemade food, Risu noted that this is one of the infrequent times that a Cross-Eyes job did <em>not</em> end up in either him or Aikawa getting injured. Then again, it doesn’t have to take an injury to get the two to spend time together.</p><p>Risu studied Aikawa’s unmasked face from time to time as they ate their respective meals at his coffee table. He still remembers a different post-tussle mealtime: at one point, Aikawa had to subdue him into valuing his own life.</p><p>He smiled a little at that memory. When Aikawa looked at him next, he smothered the expression with a spoonful of rice and cauliflower.</p><p>
  <em>Aikawa got me to see value in myself. He’s mad at the Cross-Eyes for always treating me like a disposable grunt. He could also be angry that many in the Cross-Eyes gang don’t actually care about doing good things. But maybe – just maybe – with Aikawa’s help, I can convince more people in the organisation to live up to its original reputation: giving hope to the weaker sorcerers.</em>
</p><p>Before he realised it, he had been staring at Aikawa for half a minute.</p><p>“’Sup?” Aikawa attempted a casual tone. His hands are partway through opening the paper wrapping for a third kebab.</p><p>Risu swallowed, but there was not enough water in his mouth. He gulped down water from his glass and managed not to choke along the way.</p><p>Aikawa continued watching him. He cleared his throat.</p><p>“Aikawa, I still want you as my partner.”</p><p>The cheerful, steadfast, caring, wonderful man sitting opposite Risu said nothing. He lowered his food and his eyes. A minuscule twitch on his face hinted that his headache is acting up again.</p><p>Still not meeting Risu’s gaze, Aikawa said: “Why? Isn’t it enough that we’re friends?”</p><p>“We are friends with Fukurou,” Risu said in a replication of their mutual owl-friend’s explanatory tone. “But the two of us… We share things with each other. Things we can’t involve people like them in.”</p><p>Aikawa’s headache has gotten past the point of just gritting his teeth. With one hand on the top of his head, he brought himself to look at Risu.</p><p>“You’re right about that. But…”</p><p>This time, Risu is the one who scoots around the coffee table to reach for Aikawa. But instead of tackling, Risu clamps his hands on those solid shoulders and looks Aikawa in his enigmatic dark eyes.</p><p>“<em>But what</em>?? What’s getting in the way of our partnership?”</p><p>Risu is aware that he sounds desperate. There is no hiding it.</p><p>Aikawa’s throat bobbed. He slowly lowered the hand from his head, and rested it between Risu’s shoulder and base-of-neck. The voice that came out of him next was almost unrecognisable.</p><p>“There are things in my life, from my past, that I’m not ready to share with you.”</p><p>Risu wanted to blurt out <em>“What things?!”</em> but resisted the impulse. He forced himself to keep listening.</p><p>Aikawa lowered his hand to remove it from Risu. That same hand would beat down any person who means to harm Risu, Fukurou, Miura, and other soft people he cares about.</p><p>“I – talked to Fukurou, before meeting up with you for this job. I said that a partnership goes both ways, and I’m not ready to…” Aikawa trailed off. His lips are sealed and his jaw is tight.</p><p>Consciously or not, Risu pulled Aikawa closer. “Did they give you any advice?” he asked, his voice close to whispering.</p><p>“Nope, because I didn’t ask them for advice.” Aikawa managed that blunt reply, at least.</p><p>Risu dropped his hands and let his body sag.</p><p>Aikawa gently elbowed him. “Get some sleep. You’ve been out and about for the past four hours.”</p><p>Risu proceeded to lean against Aikawa where they touched.</p><p>“And you? Doing all that climbing and head-knocking after walking Fukurou home from school?” He playfully bonked his forehead against Aikawa’s upper arm. “Come on, it won’t hurt you to stay the night. I bought a futon for this very reason.”</p><p>“Gah, fine.”</p><p>The two of them took turns freshening off in the bathroom. Aikawa has slept over often enough that there are clean nightclothes for him in Risu’s closet.</p><p>(The last time Aikawa put on one of Risu’s shirts, the fabric stretched irreparably. Risu was glad Aikawa never tried to squeeze into his trousers.)</p><p>Risu lay in bed, physically tired but not yet able to rest his head. He rolled to one side and propped himself up on an elbow to watch Aikawa’s mask-free face in the darkened room. Fluffy brows, distinct nose, broad body, muscular arms and legs that could hold him down by force…</p><p>He will remember every bit that his dearest friend shows to him. Then he can learn how to adjust to the parts that this friend is not yet ready to share.</p><p>
  <em>Aikawa… whatever it is you’re going through, I’ll be fine experiencing them by your side. You’ve done so much for me already. I want to repay your kindness and do even more with you. Because I care about you, Aikawa, just as you care about me…</em>
</p><p>A snore startled Risu. When he rests on his bed once more, he stifles his laughter against his pillow and surrenders to sleep with a smile on his face.</p><hr/><p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE SIXTH CHAPTER:</p><ol>
<li>Risu’s cuteness aids him in playing a distraction role.</li>
<li>Aikawa thinks the Cross-Eyes don’t value Risu enough.</li>
<li>Risu adores Aikawa.</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This chapter and the previous one are written by someone who has marathoned TNT’s Leverage more than a few times.<br/>And what do you know. After action, there is more angst and pining, with a side serving of cute dorkery.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Mess Up, Fess Up</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This chapter’s title is easily my top favourite in the entire series.</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p><p>Students, teachers, and staff of South Zagan Sorcery School are accustomed to Aikawa and Risu arriving later than usual.</p><p>Fukurou is wearing a denim jacket over a Haru T-shirt. They looked up as the two enter, but soon turned to face the board again; nothing seems different about the owl’s manner that morning.</p><p>Risu tries with difficulty to concentrate on the teacher’s lecture about how magical smoke gets valued. Maybe he did not get enough rest after all. Next to Risu, Aikawa keeps his mask on, sipping iced coffee through a straw.</p><p>
  <em>I should’ve asked him to get me one before we got here, huh. Damn, this subject should be important, but the lesson itself is so dull.</em>
</p><p>Risu stretched and leaned back against his seat when the teacher announces a short mid-class break. Aikawa noticed before he did: Fukurou got up from their chair in the front and sauntered to the two troublemakers’ middle-row table.</p><p>“You guys got a moment?” Fukurou asked, hands tucked in the pockets of their cargo pants. Their tone is neutral, but there is a piercing look in their bespectacled eyes.</p><p>Risu blinked. “Sure…?”</p><p>“For you, always,” Aikawa replied in a gentlemanly manner.</p><p>Despite their height (or maybe because of it), Fukurou can walk fast, such that laggards whose minds match their pace loudly question why the owl is going at that speed. Risu wondered if Aikawa is sweating as much as he is right now.</p><p>Fukurou led the way to the school rooftop. By some stroke of luck, the three are the only ones there at this moment.</p><p>“Picture this: I was trying to buy some food for the day, and all of a sudden, three women – whom I’ve never met in my life – surrounded me. They asked if they can ‘train under’ me, whatever that means.”</p><p>Fukurou turned to face Risu and Aikawa.</p><p>“They told me they were rescued by a tall Cross-Eye and a muscular man in a black mask and sweater. So I thought, clearly you two had something to do with this.”</p><p>The owl’s calm voice does not soothe when matched with their authoritative posture: boots planted firmly on the floor, hands on their waist, face directly turned to whichever person they are talking to.</p><p>This is not some strict teacher or security guard whose wrath Risu can fake-weak his way out of.</p><p>“I see… but at least that’s less daunting than six,” Aikawa masterfully deflected the accusation. Not.</p><p>Fukurou’s hands left their trouser pockets; their arms and shoulders are tensed up. “There were <em>six</em> of them?!” they screeched.</p><p>Risu opened his mouth and closed it again. He could not find the words with which to retaliate, so he shifted the blame to his accomplice.</p><p>“See? I told you we should’ve asked if Fukurou wanted to get involved,” he said to Aikawa.</p><p>If there is body language for ‘taken aback’, Aikawa is expressing it right now.</p><p>“You were the one who was worried about the women’s wellbeing in society. Besides, it was a good thing we directed them someplace safe without having to manipulate them,” Aikawa told Risu.</p><p>Fukurou’s heavy sigh went unnoticed.</p><p>Risu crossed his arms. “Yeah, well, it’s not <em>my</em> fault you suck at talking to women.”</p><p>Aikawa stamped a spike-guarded foot on the concrete surface and pointed at Risu.</p><p>“You think <em>I</em> suck? You should’ve seen how <em>you</em> look, getting all tongue-tied when they start praising –”</p><p>A burst of black smoke fills the air over their heads. It is like a cloud pouring out the sound of someone’s aural recollection.</p><p>
  <em>“Aikawa is an awesomely tough guy. I think he is kind. Sometimes he tries to sound like he doesn’t matter, or pretends that many things don’t bother him. But he cares, deep down. I would love to have him as my partner, but he doesn’t seem ready for some reason. That’s too bad… I feel like my life changed when I became friends with him.”</em>
</p><p>Eyes wide, Risu clamps his hands over his mouth when he hears <em>his own voice</em> say those words.</p><p>The words he made Fukurou promise not to reveal.</p><p>The livid owl lowers their right hand and raises their left. An equally large plume of magic smoke emerges from the index finger, followed by a different but familiar voice’s string of words.</p><p>
  <em>“Risu is courageous and strong, but his courage keeps getting him into danger, and he overestimates his strength a lot. But at other times, he’s humble to a fault… He has a good heart, and has faith in changing things for the better. And when he believes deeply in something, he cannot be shaken… I want to protect him.”</em>
</p><p>Aikawa’s posture grows slack, and he just stares at Fukurou, not wanting to see the reaction on Risu’s face.</p><p>The owl looked from one tall male student to the other. They then shrugged with their arms up.</p><p>“Now – you guys go resolve whatever’s making you shout at each other. Once you’re done with that, you can either apologise to me, or start getting me involved in whatever it is you have going on.”</p><p>Fukurou turned around and strode to the rooftop door.</p><p>“I’m going for class. Seeya when you’re ready.”</p><hr/><p>Aikawa sat on the rooftop’s concrete floor, facing the railing that looks out to Zagan city. Risu sits two feet to his left, knees huddled up against his chest.</p><p>A dull ache is plaguing Aikawa again. The darkness in him is telling him he made a mistake trusting his words to that owl.</p><p>
  <strong> <em>He will betray you too, when the time comes.</em> </strong>
</p><p>
  <em>Shut up. I don’t think you even know how that word works.</em>
</p><p>Fukurou did not betray Aikawa. They were just righting a personal wrong.</p><p>
  <em>Risu is also right. Fukurou is our friend who lives in a safer side of the world. We confide in them because they are our friend. </em>
</p><p>Aikawa leaned back, supported by his arms.</p><p>
  <em>Well, it was convenient to mention them to the women at the time, but friends are not meant to just be a convenience.</em>
</p><p>“I can’t believe we ended up using one of our friends like that,” Aikawa exclaimed.</p><p>Risu turned his head in Aikawa’s direction, his face indignant. “<em>We</em>?” he sputtered.</p><p>Aikawa detached the gas mask from his face. When he next looked at Risu, the tall blond blushed and faced forward again, eyes down.</p><p>“Ah, you’re right,” Risu admitted. The corners of his mouth are up, but his lips are pressed together, making his mouth look like a straight line.</p><p>“So… your life changed when you met me, huh.”</p><p>Risu covered his face. “I told them not to tell you!” he hollered through his gloved hands.</p><p>Aikawa smirked. “Heh. You pissed them off, so of course they’d spill the beans,” he teased.</p><p>Risu lowered his hands and glanced at Aikawa. “<em>We</em> pissed them off,” he corrected.</p><p>He shifted his sitting position so that he faces Aikawa now.</p><p>“So, then… it sounds like you said a couple of things about me.”</p><p>Aikawa puts his mask down and angles his body toward Risu. He might as well be the one to end the pretences.</p><p>“And they are all true.”</p><p>Fukurou is a perceptive guide, but in the end, he has to talk to Risu by himself. This time his words are firm.</p><p>“I want to protect you and your good heart. But that also means protecting you from – from my past.”</p><p>“Aikawa.” Risu placed his right hand atop Aikawa’s left. “Between the two of us, we’ve beheaded so many sorcerers together, and the majority of them are bad dudes.”</p><p>Those strange blue eyes are focused on nothing but Aikawa, gazing with utter sincerity.</p><p>“I don’t think you can be any worse than they were. And even if that’s the case, then…” Risu’s hands closed over Aikawa’s left. “I accept all of you – the good, the bad, and everything else.”</p><p>Aikawa draws nearer. His free right hand rose to touch Risu’s face; right thumb next to a corner of Risu’s mouth, fingers touching his jaw and neck.</p><p>And then he pinches Risu’s cheek.</p><p>“Ow! What was that for?” Risu demanded loudly, but did not break away.</p><p>Aikawa chuckled softly. He released his fingers to smooth down and stroke that fair cheek. “There was something else I didn’t mention… I think you’re cute.”</p><p>He can see Risu’s face heating up. This blush may even exceed the time when Fukurou stared suggestively at him.</p><p>“Y-you do?” Risu peeped.</p><p>“Yeah, your face radiates cuteness like sunshine over a locked garden.” Ugh, that sounded better in his head. Now he himself is blushing. Aikawa glanced away and cleared his throat before speaking next.</p><p>“So, if it’s okay, if you don’t mind… can I ki–”</p><p>Risu flings his arms over Aikawa’s shoulders; his left hand caresses Aikawa’s upper back, and his right hand brushes up the scruff of Aikawa’s neck, gloved fingers ruffling his short dark hair.</p><p>Risu’s lips press against Aikawa’s. An expression of pure, innocent longing.</p><p>Aikawa’s right hand has fallen from Risu’s face from the movement. Now he might as well wrap both his hands around Risu’s lower back.</p><p>“Risu…” Aikawa mouthed.</p><p>This feels good. This feels so, <em>so</em> good, and this is only the beginning. There is something more to come, and he will get it because he wants it.</p><p>Risu whimpered when Aikawa pokes his tongue through, first feeling his lips. Further in, that tongue recoils at the touch of Risu’s adorable yet sharp teeth, and their kiss broke.</p><p>“Ah – sorry,” Risu gasped out, his hold on Aikawa loosening.</p><p>“Don’t be.”</p><p>Aikawa backed up just to remove his cap and gloves. Risu took his own gloves off, as well as the stakes stored in his forearm loops.</p><p>Risu did not even resist when Aikawa wrestles him to the floor; he may be pinned down by Aikawa’s strong legs, but Aikawa’s left hand is also there to softly cradle the back of his head.</p><p>Aikawa lowers himself gently, taking care not to put too much of his body weight on Risu. When his lips find Risu’s again, though, Risu’s arms tighten over his back.</p><p>Alright, then.</p><p>Feeling Risu’s body heat up with heady desire, Aikawa gladly gives himself over. Their lips lock for a while, tongues teasing and tasting each other. They are excited by what they find, piqued by how much more they can uncover.</p><p>Risu moaned in question when Aikawa parted, but then gasped at the feeling of Aikawa’s mouth on his throat.</p><p>“Aikawa,” he hushed out the name like a prayer. His spine arched at the sight of Aikawa’s dark eyes and bushy brows, at the nose nuzzling against his neck.</p><p>The rooftop door opens again, its bang loud in the relative quiet.</p><p>Aikawa bolts up, careful to lower Risu’s head before completely disentangling himself. On the rooftop floor, Risu looks like he is still in ecstasy.</p><p>“It’s just me,” Fukurou announced. There is hesitation in their steps when they approach.</p><p>“Were you there the whole time?” Aikawa asked.</p><p>“Of course not; I went for Smoke &amp; Commerce class. When I was heading out again for a bathroom break, Ichinomiya-sensei asked me if I know where my ‘boyfriends’ are.” Fukurou included the quotation marks gesture for emphasis.</p><p>Risu finally sits up as well, probably because he heard the word ‘boyfriends’. “Are we in trouble?” he asked Fukurou.</p><p>“Not as far as sensei is concerned,” the owl replied, crossing their arms.</p><p>Ah, yes. The pair are still in trouble for involving Fukurou in something they did not ask to join. Now that the frustrated banter is over, the two can explain themselves and apologise.</p><p>Aikawa and Risu got on their feet and brushed the dust they managed to gather on the rooftop floor.</p><p>“So uh, last night we rescued these women who were held captive by a lecherous sorcerer who used shrinking magic,” Aikawa began.</p><p>Risu picks up from there. “We killed him and passed his corpse to the Cross-Eyes. The women were serious about wanting to thank us, but we didn’t need anything from them…”</p><p>“Some of them looked lost, so we –” Risu elbowed Aikawa. “– <em>I</em> suggested they look for you to talk about what they went through, and maybe also learn how to stay away from dangerous sorcerers.”</p><p>Risu nods and bows at Fukurou in apology. Aikawa follows the motion.</p><p>With his mask off, he can chance a peek at Fukurou’s reaction. The owl is usually satisfied when questions get answered, but given the circumstances that gave rise to those questions, it may take them longer to arrive at a decision.</p><p>“Very well. Thank you for the context. I accept your apology,” they said.</p><p>But before Aikawa and Risu straighten their backs, Fukurou had to stand on tiptoes to reach and pull on the ridiculously tall men’s ears.</p><p>“Ow!”</p><p>“But the next time you send survivors of crime in my direction, call my number first!”</p><p>Aikawa is relieved when those small fingers let go. His earlobe stings a little where Fukurou pinched – curiously, though, there is none of the familiar dreaded ache anywhere on his head.</p><p>“Even at three in the morning?” Risu asked.</p><p>Fukurou flipped their palms up. “It sure beats being swarmed by strangers at the bakery the moment I leave my residence,” they retorted.</p><p>Aikawa gave a chagrined smile. “That’s true…”</p><p>The owl straightens their posture and takes one step toward the rooftop door.</p><p>“I’m going back to class now. Come along if you will, unless you need some more time alone…?” they ask.</p><p>Risu blushes again at that tone of theirs. Maybe he <em>would</em> like more private time with Aikawa, but the rooftop is definitely not the most private place they know.</p><p>“N-no.” Aware of his own creeping blush, Aikawa dusts off his mask and cap, and puts them on. He and Risu remember to retrieve their gloves, as well as Risu’s forearm stakes.</p><p>Something is covering the darkness inside him like tarp over an ugly painting. There is no headache while Risu is near him, seeking his comfort and comforting him in turn.</p><p>Fukurou leads the way back to class, the owl setting a not-too-brisk pace, Aikawa and Risu side by side behind them. That way, the pair show that while they are not <em>Fukurou’s</em> boyfriends, they are indeed boyfriends.</p><p>They’ve only just made that discovery during the extended break they took.</p><hr/><p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE SEVENTH CHAPTER:</p><ol>
<li>Fukurou’s magic is sound replication.</li>
<li>The school rooftop is where Risu and Aikawa had their first kiss.</li>
<li>Aikawa adores Risu as well.</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Actual line from my draft: [Two dudes sitting on the rooftop, two feet apart because they’re not partners.]<br/>Fukurou keeps this fic T-rated.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Witness the Wholesome Words</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>World-building questions? In the final* chapter? It couldn’t be!<br/>Reference for the craniotomy-needing smoke bottle is Chapter #108 “Mirage Landmark”.<br/>(* This turned out NOT to be the final chapter, because I ended up writing too many words for a single chapter, AGAIN.)</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p><p>The first time Risu visited Fukurou’s apartment room (which turned out to be Aikawa’s second time), Fukurou apologised for the mess. Aside from the pile-up of books and papers on the study desk, it was the cleanest apartment room he has ever stepped foot in.</p><p>With their mask off, Fukurou invited the guys to sit at their dining table, and served lemon tea as per usual.</p><p>“How have you guys not made that partnership agreement yet? You know it can be done verbally outside of Blue Night,” Fukurou questioned. It was the reason these two are visiting the owl’s apartment today.</p><p>“That’s true, but…” Risu trailed off, one hand rubbing the back of his neck.</p><p>Aikawa jerked a thumb at the man sitting next to him. “This dude is thinking long-term, and I made the mistake of pointing out that I’ve never seen a Cross-Eyes member having a partner, whether it’s official or verbal.”</p><p>Fukurou blew at their warm tea even though their glasses barely catch any more vapour. Aikawa took his mask off two minutes ago, and he already downed half of his own mug.</p><p>“I haven’t asked anyone else in the organisation about it,” Risu said. “Considering what the Cross-Eyes have been doing and how we act among other sorcerers… I doubt if I’d even be allowed into the Black House to sign a partnership contract in the first place.”</p><p>“Hang on a sec,” Fukurou said.</p><p>They put down their mug and went to their bedroom. They returned with a hardcover tome titled <em>‘Blue Night, Red Blood: The Most Gruesome Duels, Vol. IX’</em>. They placed the book on the table and scanned the pages until they find what they had in mind, and turned the book around for Aikawa and Risu to read.</p><p>“See those snake-shaped smoke bottles? Here’s the actual scale of two, side by side,” Fukurou pointed at the diagram.</p><p><em>A hair from Aikawa’s brow has to be thicker than one of those smoke bottles,</em> Risu mused.</p><p>“So these… basically make a magic-user completely invulnerable, but require the simple one-time price of dangerous brain surgery,” Aikawa summarised.</p><p>Fukurou nodded.</p><p>“Damn. More sorcerers died during said surgeries than in expected thrilling battles.”</p><p>“Given the kind of bloodbath originally encouraged by the demons, I doubt they’ll forbid Cross-Eyes members from entering their Black House. Maybe they’ll look down on you because you have low smoke output, but there’s no law forbidding Cross-Eyes from going up to demons to officiate partnerships.”</p><p>Risu looked from the book to Fukurou, and then to Aikawa. Aikawa might be staring because of the growing smile on his face, but he couldn’t help himself.</p><p>He hugged Aikawa and kissed him on the cheek. In response, Aikawa ruffled a hand in his uneven hair and moved the kiss to his mouth.</p><p>“So – about that verbal agreement you guys can make, while waiting for Blue Night…” Fukurou’s presence brought them to the material world again.</p><p>Risu extricated himself from Aikawa and managed a sheepish grin.</p><p>“Are you gonna do that in private, or do you want me as, like, a witness?”</p><p>“Oh, you’d be the perfect witness! Right, Aikawa?” Risu asked. But when he turned to face Aikawa, there is apprehension on that handsome face. “Is something wrong?”</p><p><em>… Oh. Maybe he </em>doesn’t<em> want our verbal declaration to be recorded?</em></p><p>“No, it’s – I thought we’ll just say the words and that will be that. Having a witness makes me feel like it has to be… special,” Aikawa explained.</p><p>Fukurou has a patient look on their face as they sip their now-cool-enough tea. “I’ll be okay with whatever you two agree on,” they stated.</p><p>Risu reached for Aikawa’s hand and squeezed gently. He hopes Aikawa can see the wholehearted support and faith on his face.</p><hr/><p>Earlier that day, Aikawa had been annoyed that Risu was so concerned about getting an official partnership on the next Blue Night. Now that there is even a slight possibility of that, plus having a friend <em>listen</em> to the verbal declaration of partnership…</p><p>
  <em>They can even replay the agreement as evidence. But why would we need evidence?</em>
</p><p>The disgusting face inside grins at Aikawa.</p><p>
  <em>Ah, of course. If I cannot trust myself, I could always try to trust someone else. Like Fukurou. Like Risu.</em>
</p><p>Aikawa mustered up a smile in defiance of the darkness that lives in him. “Let’s do this.”</p><p>Seated next to each other in Fukurou’s dining chairs, he and Risu angle the furniture so that the two of them directly face one another.</p><p>Risu is the first to reach for his hands. He returns the secure hold.</p><p>“Do you want to go first?” Aikawa whispered to his best friend – his lover.</p><p>Risu smiled, filling him with comforting warmth. He seems to already know what he wants to say.</p><p>“When I joined the South Zagan Sorcery School and became your classmate, I had no idea how important you would be to me. You have protected me, again and again.”</p><p>Risu paused. His slit-shaped blue eyes stare into Aikawa’s, and Aikawa fought not to drown in the emotions present there.</p><p>“I don’t know if I can do the same for you, but I’ll do my best. Where I am able, I will do anything for you, Aikawa, because I care about you.”</p><p>Risu swallowed. “Will you be my partner?”</p><p>Aikawa’s responding smile is more sincere than the usual chipper nature he gave off at school. He moved his hands up to hold Risu’s currently bare forearms.</p><p>“You are important to me too, Risu. You give me meaning in life, more than you’ll ever know. I treasure the person that you are, and I hope you know I will cherish you forever.”</p><p>Aikawa stands up from the dining chair, his straightening legs pushing it backward. Risu does the same with the seat he leaves.</p><p>He can feel his own eyelids droop, lips wishing more than anything to close over Risu’s sweet adorable mouth. Not yet… he must finish his declaration.</p><p>“It is my pleasure to be granted the honour of being your partner.”</p><p>He can feel Risu’s elated smile against his kiss. Risu’s hands moved to rub up his shoulder blades, whereas he has his hands on Risu’s waist.</p><p>Aware that the two of them are still in Fukurou’s room, Aikawa reluctantly separated his face from Risu’s to see the resident’s reaction. The eyes behind those black-rimmed glasses are moist, and Aikawa could have sworn they were hiding a sniffle.</p><p>“Are you crying?” Risu asked in an undertone.</p><p>Aikawa turns his body toward Fukurou, one hand still wrapped around Risu. “I didn’t take <em>you</em> for the sentimental type,” he said with a grin.</p><p>Fukurou raised their hands to shoulder height, fingers clawing the air. “It was beautiful, okay? Shut up!” they retorted in their exasperated academician manner.</p><p>Risu pressed his lips in a flat line to hide his laughter, but then added to Aikawa: “They’re right, though.”</p><p>Risu helped carry the used mugs to Fukurou’s kitchen sink. After the owl finishes washing the drinkware, they are met with Risu and Aikawa’s inquiring faces at the dining table.</p><p>“By the way, Fukurou, what did you do with the women we rescued from the shrink-magic sorcerer?” Aikawa asked.</p><p>“I looked up a demon church near the city central, devoted to Miczariel the Warrioress.”</p><p>Fukurou walked to their music corner and unpacked an instrument from a medium case: a four-stringed wooden instrument to be placed against the chin and played with a bow.</p><p>“It shelters and counsels women, whether they are undergoing abuse or recovering from it. I even went there in person to check that it was run by an actual demon.”</p><p>“You went to the capital in person?” Risu asked.</p><p>Fukurou shrugged, tuning the strings while chatting. “You can never be sure if a ‘charitable’ organisation is actually a front for something more sinister.”</p><p>“Wait! That means – did you go to that Tanba place you mentioned before?” Aikawa demanded.</p><p>The owl played three notes on the instrument to test its sound. “Yeah, I ate at the restaurant. Alone. Because the capital is not always a dangerous person for a small sorcerer,” they spoke, their face deadpan.</p><p>Risu’s jaw dropped; he must have also remembered what Fukurou said in passing about Tanba’s Restaurant having “much better pies than Grapegum Bakery”.</p><p>“You should’ve brought us with you!” Aikawa told them.</p><p>Fukurou raised their brows. “Oh, <em>should</em> I? And interrupt that ‘payback for Thammuz’ job prep I’ve heard so often about?”</p><p>That’s right… sometimes when Fukurou invited the two to run a boring errand with them, Risu gave excuses sounding like he and Aikawa had Cross-Eyes jobs to do. Aikawa is not sure if Fukurou knew those excuses were lies, and that the truth is the two were spending time canoodling in Risu’s apartment room.</p><hr/><p>Risu is holding up his end of the agreement, where he promised Aikawa he will stick to safe and familiar places when he goes out. For extra safety, Aikawa is there with him, even if ‘there’ meant South Zagan Sorcery School on a non-school day.</p><p>Yesterday Aikawa asked if he and Risu can visit Fukurou’s home again. They said they won’t be home because there is a rehearsal at the school events hall for the upcoming graduation ceremony.</p><p>That’s too bad. Aikawa is really starting to enjoy being with Risu in their apartment’s soundproofed walls.</p><p>When the rehearsal got too boring for uninvolved persons to watch, the two of them went to the school rooftop again. They sit on the floor with their backs against the railing, facing the rooftop door so they do not get caught unprepared.</p><p>Aikawa has his mask off and is eating chocolate chip pecan cookies. No, he did not steal the packet from Fukurou’s pantry; he saw the brand name and remembered to look for it the next time he went grocery shopping.</p><p>“Say, Risu… I once asked Fukurou if they like-liked you,” he said.</p><p>Risu’s eyes widened in interest. “Oh? What did they say?”</p><p>“They say it doesn’t matter because no one they liked has ever liked them back,” Aikawa spoke, the contents of his mouth pushed to one cheek.</p><p>Risu exhaled softly. “That’s kind of sad.”</p><p>Aikawa swallowed his mouthful. “But the point is: they <em>never denied</em> that they like-liked you,” he said cheerfully.</p><p>He almost snorted at the sight of Risu blinking at him in imitation of an uncertain Fukurou. Risu let out a soft laugh and took his second cookie from the bag.</p><p>“Now that you mention it, Fukurou said some things when I asked them what they think about you.”</p><p>“Really? Like what?” Aikawa asked.</p><p>Risu tries to remember the exact manner Fukurou said those words to him. That was at lunchtime, so they were more focused on their meal.</p><p>“They said that you’re cool and funny, you take <em>lots</em> of their food, and that you’re a good dude.”</p><p>Aikawa could definitely picture the owl saying those things. He finishes chewing and swallowing one cookie.</p><p>“Hmm, that doesn’t say anything about them like-liking me,” he stated.</p><p>“You won’t know until you ask,” Risu told him. “Besides, you’ve known Fukurou for longer than I have. They’ve often seen you eat, so surely they know the look of your handsome face.”</p><p>“Huuuh.”</p><hr/><p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE EIGHTH CHAPTER:</p><ol>
<li>There may be a very small chance Cross-Eyes are allowed in the Black House on Blue Night.</li>
<li>Fukurou cannot drink water that is too hot.</li>
<li>Aikawa and Risu are verbally partners now!!!</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Aikawa and Risu frequently visiting Fukurou’s apartment could be a fitting punishment for them cockblocking the guys, yes? Might as well use the soundproofed walls for ~other~ reasons.<br/>+ Back in Chapter 4 (Bump), it was mentioned Fukurou has 5 instrument cases. They play the electric guitar, electric bass guitar, brass trumpet, alto saxophone, and violin.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Convergence</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>.....</strong>
</p>
<p>Aikawa and Risu made some discoveries when they attended the official graduation ceremony for the half-year.</p>
<p>That evening, when the certificates are being presented, there is no one named ‘Fukurou’ called out. However, the magic-user in the familiar owl mask, encumbered by rental graduation robes, stepped up to receive their ceremonial scroll when the announcer called for ‘Komimizuku’.</p>
<p>Once the formalities are over with, dinner is served <strike>and Aikawa is saved</strike>. Waiters in white shirts and artwork-printed fabric masks will send course after course of food to the round tables.</p>
<p>“Whew. I’m not too late,” Fukurou said, arriving at their seat the same time the appetisers do.</p>
<p>The two tall male students stared at their graduating soon-to-be-former classmate. Fukurou had stored away their graduation robes, and beneath those robes they had been wearing an ankle-length sleeveless dress. They have their metal-plated elbow guards on, so Aikawa would not be surprised if they are still wearing knee pads and boots beneath the dress as well.</p>
<p>Risu and Fukurou elected to sit on Aikawa’s either side in order to keep him from stealing food from plates of other people seated at the table. He can snatch food from these two friends of his, though. Especially Fukurou, because the cheap catering food is not quite to their taste.</p>
<p>When dinner ends and the ceremony attendees begin to disperse, some of the other graduates invite Fukurou to an after-party at Club Vanam. Maybe it was just Aikawa’s imagination, but Risu looked relieved when Fukurou politely declined.</p>
<p>“Nerds never party, huh?” Aikawa asked Fukurou. He and Risu are accompanying the owl on their walk home again, deterring conscientious-sounding strangers from approaching the prettily-dressed small sorcerer.</p>
<p>“Well, to those sorts of people, I’m boring. I’m someone who has fun doing other things late at night than drinking alcohol or dancing,” they answered.</p>
<p>The ugly cackle was bubbling in Aikawa, but Risu ended up laughing out loud first.</p>
<p>“Why do I keep ending up saying these kinds of words to you guys?!”</p>
<p>Aikawa and Risu managed to settle down before tailing Fukurou past the apartment ground floor watchmen. The workers and other residents of the building are accustomed to seeing the owl’s ‘boyfriends’ or ‘bodyguards’ by now.</p>
<p>Safe within the confines of soundproofed walls, Fukurou took off their mask and turned to face their guests.</p>
<p>“By the way, why do you guys keep coming to my place? I thought it’s farther to get to Tachikawa Apartments from here than from school,” they wondered.</p>
<p>Aikawa took off his mask and cap out of courtesy to his host. “Well… Compared to a cheap place like Tachikawa, the food is nicer here, and the water is cleaner,” he confessed, even as the owner of said cheap apartment side-eyes him.</p>
<p>Risu sighed. “He’s right,” he admitted.</p>
<p>He and Aikawa have visited Fukurou for so many times that the two had to tell them there is no need to be formal and serve hot tea anymore, especially late at night when they are exhausted from the day’s events.</p>
<p>There is one last thing, however, for the two to make sure of.</p>
<p>Just as Fukurou emerges from their bedroom-adjacent bathroom in their night-clothes, Aikawa drapes his right arm across their shoulders, and Risu wraps a left arm on top of Aikawa’s.</p>
<p>“What the fuck do you guys think you’re doing?” Fukurou asked, their voice more tired than suspicious.</p>
<p>It took some effort to keep three different-sized pairs of legs from tangling together, but Aikawa and Risu walked Fukurou to their single bed. The frame creaked slightly from the weight of three persons sitting at one long end.</p>
<p>“Now, I don’t have sound-recall magic like you, but I seem to remember you saying Risu and I can either apologise to you, or get you involved in whatever we have going on,” Aikawa began.</p>
<p>Fukurou scoffed. “You thought that was gonna bite me in the ass, huh? It’s an ‘either/or’ situation, with no possibility of both,” they replied, straightening their back in a show of dignity.</p>
<p>“Oh yeah? Aikawa told me something interesting the other day,” Risu continued, undeterred. “He said that when he asked whether you like-like me, you never denied it. Is that right?”</p>
<p>Fukurou’s youthful face crumpled up into an inscrutable expression, but Aikawa can see that their cheeks are redder than usual.</p>
<p>“I know this might be a long shot, but do you happen to like-like me, by any chance?” he whispered in their ear.</p>
<p>Fukurou let out a puff of tired breath, sounding like a deflated balloon. They slipped out of the men’s arms and got to their feet, facing the two with their arms crossed.</p>
<p>“I’m not going to say anything, because there is no point even if I do. You two like each other. You two make good partners. I have no place in your special relationship.”</p>
<p>Aikawa swallowed. Those assertive words wiped the smiles from his and Risu’s faces.</p>
<p>Risu lowered his eyes, jaw clenched. Aikawa wonders if Risu is racking his brain for an apology, just as he himself is.</p>
<p>“Oh, don’t be sad on my behalf! I’m personally glad I managed to witness you guys becoming partners,” Fukurou exclaimed.</p>
<p>“Oh. Uh… thanks, then,” Risu responded.</p>
<p>Fukurou uncrossed their forearms, placing hands on their hips. “Say, would you two <em>really</em> have asked me to be involved in what you’ve got going on? I mean, how old do you think I actually am?”</p>
<p>Aikawa scrambled back on the single bed while Risu’s posture went stiff.</p>
<p><em>Uh oh</em>, Aikawa thought.</p>
<p>“Eighteen?” Risu choked out.</p>
<p>To Aikawa’s relief, Fukurou rolled their eyes and said: “Older.”</p>
<p>“Twenty-one?” Risu continued.</p>
<p>“Older.”</p>
<p>“Twenty-three?” Aikawa asked this time.</p>
<p>Fukurou’s stance is steadily wilting. “Older.”</p>
<p>“Twenty-five?”</p>
<p>“Older…”</p>
<p>“Twenty-nine?”</p>
<p>“<em>Older</em>.”</p>
<p>“Thirty-nine?!”</p>
<p>“Okay, not <em>that</em> old.”</p>
<p>Fukurou lifts a hand to hold up three fingers, and then let their index finger remain.</p>
<p>“Thirty-one… you’re ten years my senior?” Risu asked.</p>
<p>“What can I say – my smoke organs took rather long to develop fully,” Fukurou remarked. They roughly placed their hands on Aikawa’s and Risu’s shoulders.</p>
<p>“Go on home, boys. If you want to stay in this room overnight, you need to bring your own sleeping bags.”</p>
<p>Risu turned to Aikawa with a bright smile. “Want to do that next time?”</p>
<p>A very unfeminine snort left Fukurou and they had to cover their mouth with the back of their hand. Aikawa could not decide whether to join in the owl’s juvenile mirth or tug Risu out of the bedroom.</p>
<p>He ended up doing the latter, because he is a considerate boyfriend.</p><hr/>
<p>The next school term begins. There is finally a full-time replacement teacher for Practical Magics, and he is even more boring than Miura and Risu’s favourite tutor, without the easy-to-understand explanations.</p>
<p><em>Well, at least he doesn’t beat up the students he calls out when their smoke-making efforts are pitiful</em>, Risu thought.</p>
<p>Aikawa sometimes shows up for morning classes with Grapegum Bakery paper bags. Those bags would be emptied before lunch, though, with or without Risu’s help.</p>
<p>Over time, Risu and Aikawa grow accustomed to there no longer being a diligent owl in the front row. The two have each other in school and outside, through most of their waking hours.</p>
<p>Besides, Fukurou’s departure from the two partners’ life is not abrupt. They are taking their time moving to Astaroth, a city of science and inventions northwest of Zagan. They also bought a mobile phone and gave the number to Risu and Aikawa.</p>
<p>“You know, in case you end up rescuing people who have nowhere to go again,” Fukurou had said. “But that’s just an excuse. Stay in touch, alright?”</p>
<p>On the day Fukurou finally leaves the city of Zagan, Risu and Aikawa treat them to a steak lunch at a fast casual restaurant. The three of them share platters, banters, laughs, and – at the end of the afternoon – a big hug and a promise of reunion.</p>
<p>
  <em>We will meet again. Who knows, I may even be able to produce smoke by then, just like Aikawa and Fukurou.</em>
</p>
<p>On a different afternoon, when the Magic Theory teacher called for a break, Risu got up to go to the bathroom. Aikawa is sleeping at his desk, so there is no need to disturb him.</p>
<p>He had an inkling he was being followed. So after washing and drying his hands, he is ready to reach for his stakes…</p>
<p>Just around the corner. There’s one of them!</p>
<p>“Wait, stop!” the student cried, hands up to protect his face.</p>
<p>Risu retracted his stake-gripping right hand. That student is wearing a bobbled winter hat, and not far behind him is a taller student with ski goggles and a bomber cap.</p>
<p>“Why were you following me?” Risu questioned, his weapon still at the ready.</p>
<p>The two students glanced at each other. The taller one nodded at the shorter, who resumed speaking: “We’re looking to buy black powder.”</p>
<p>Risu’s eyes widened. That was not an answer he expected.</p>
<p>“What?”</p>
<p>The taller student walked up beside his friend, eyeing Risu’s armed hand warily.</p>
<p>“You’re friends with that owl who just graduated, right? We heard their increasing smoke output was secretly thanks to you giving them black powder,” he said.</p>
<p>Risu’s heart thumped in his chest. <em>That’s not true.</em></p>
<p><em>“Oi Risu, you go to school, right? There’s gotta be students there who want black powder. Why not push some of the product on them and earn extra commission?”</em> he remembered something Tanabe has been telling him, more than once before.</p>
<p>
  <em>What do I do? Fukurou… Aikawa…</em>
</p>
<p>Risu placed the stake back in its loop. “I’m not a pusher,” he said.</p>
<p>But the look in those students’ eyes is so desperate, so eager for something that truly, provably, actually works.</p>
<p>“I know another Cross-Eyes who is, though. His name is Miyamoto. You can find him in Central Zagan’s alleys when the nearby restaurants start closing.”</p>
<p>What is he doing?</p>
<p>Risu returned to class, hoping Aikawa would not see that there are two students behind him bearing optimistic expressions.</p>
<p>Aikawa stretched and yawned when Risu is back in his seat.</p>
<p>“Did you get any snacks?” he asked.</p>
<p>“No,” Risu replied.</p>
<p>Aikawa groaned and slumped his head and arms back on the desk surface.</p>
<p>“There’s still time left in this break, since not everyone is back yet. Wanna go together?”</p>
<p>“Alrighty!” Aikawa exclaimed.</p>
<p>Risu smiled widely, masking over the unease he felt. He can keep trying to hide it, but he knows Aikawa has keen senses of things that happen in school.</p>
<p>It is only a matter of time before their dodgier Cross-Eyes-related activities spill over into their school lives.</p><hr/>
<p>WHAT WE LEARNED FROM THE NINTH CHAPTER:</p><ol>
<li>Fukurou’s documented name is Komimizuku (Short-Eared Owl).</li>
<li>Fukurou’s face looks too young for them to be 31 years old.</li>
<li>Cross-Eyes influence and black powder dealing in South Zagan Sorcery School are increasing…</li>
</ol>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The Wiki says Risu (as at the story’s present day) is 24 years old. He was killed about 3 years before those starting events, so he’s presumably 20 or 21 when he met Aikawa at school.<br/>I have rough ideas for misadventures and canon tie-ins (such as Risu going to Astaroth before seeking answers in Berith), but my next work likely has to do with a canon-divergent AU where Risu goes to Hole and meets Ai Coleman.<br/>This the end of the series as far as I know. Hope you've enjoyed the ride!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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